That was the claim by Conservative Councillor John Greenwell on Friday when Scottish Borders Licensing Board rejected a bid by a local hotelier to put on a late bar for Saturday’s festivities.

Daniel McKay of the Lauderdale Hotel had applied to serve alcohol for an extra hour – until 2am on Sunday morning - to cater for his customers.

That would have given the premises closing time parity with the official Common Riding Ball which is being held the same night in a marquee in the Public Park. But the board voted 5-2 to refuse his application with the police and licensing standards officer Ian Tunnah voicing strong objections.

Mr Greenwell said he had been returning to his home near Ancrum with his wife after a family holiday.

“I had the misfortune to be travelling through Lauder late at night during the Common Riding and it was like driving through a war zone,” he said. “It was quite frightening, with bodies lying all over the road.

“I think we have to take on board the concerns of the police because, in my view, extending drinking by an extra hour will just bring more problems.” The police case was put by Inspector Tony Hodges who noted that, with the exception of the ball, all other licensed premises in the town would stop serving at 1am.

“Lauder Common Riding has a history of alcohol-fuelled disorder and last year was no exception,” said Inspector Hodges. “The problem seems to stem from the large number of people travelling from other towns and it puts further pressure on the already pressurised resources of Police Scotland.

“That strain is greater late at night when our officers also have to deal with people exiting from the nightclubs in Hawick and Galashiels. The later the closing hour, the greater the strain.” Mr Tunnah stressed that the Lauderdale Hotel application had no connection with the official festivities, adding: “There is no doubt that having one of the licensed premises open an hour later than the others within this small town on a busy day could prove problematic with crowds trying to gain access to the later opening premises between 1 and 2am,” But Councillor Tom Weatherston (Con, Kelso) said he sympathised with Mr McKay who had a similar bid rejected by the board two years ago.

“I can see his point, because the Lauderdale Hotel used to host the ball before it was moved and he should not be punished for this,” said Mr Weatherston.

“Also the board must be consistent and in May we granted a 3am licence for a nightclub in Hawick for that town’s Common Riding, even although Hawick held its official ball at the same time.” Mr Tunnah said that when the Lauderdale Hotel had last hosted the ball, the closing hour was 1am. Only in 2013, did the board agree to an occasional 2am licence for the ball which, he claimed, was pre-sold ticketed and professionally stewarded.

And he cited the board’s policy of not considering all events connected with common ridings and summer festivals to automatically qualify for extended licensing hours.

Mr Wetherston, supported by Councillor Rory Stewart (Ind), moved for the late bar application to be approved, provided no-one was allowed to enter the premises after 1am.

But this curfew was described as “a recipe for further disorder” by Councillor Gavin Logan (Con) whose motion for refusal was carried by five votes to two.

Mr McKay, who was not represented at the meeting, will be allowed to open his hotel from 6.30am till 11am on Saturday morning to host a breakfast event for ex-Lauder Cornets.